Writers Helping Writers^®

Resident Writing Coach

Writing By Design Part 4: Contrast, or Light versus Dark

August 7, 2018

Writing By Design Part 4: Contrast, or Light versus Dark

August 7, 2018

In earlier installments of this “Writing by Design” series, we’ve discussed how to use the constraints of space to lend a shape to your story, and we also looked at…

Character Vulnerability: There Will Be Blood

July 17, 2018

Character Vulnerability: There Will Be Blood

July 17, 2018

This is something I say to almost every writer: Make no mistake, there WILL be blood! No, I’m not referring to the movie. Or even to literal blood. But to…

How Do You Lead Readers to Your Theme?

July 10, 2018

How Do You Lead Readers to Your Theme?

July 10, 2018

Theme & Symbolism Database A good book, once finished, often leaves you with that feeling of something more. I like to think of it as the book’s essence. It kind…

How To “Level Up” Your Character’s Wound

July 3, 2018

Understanding how to properly create a character's emotional wound

How To “Level Up” Your Character’s Wound

July 3, 2018

Every writer who has spent time studying the craft writing knows of the character wound, and that they are the foundation of a strong, memorable character. Why? Because they make…

The Satisfaction of Excellence: The Growth Mindset for Writers

June 19, 2018

The Satisfaction of Excellence: The Growth Mindset for Writers

June 19, 2018

If someone had asked me in my early days as a book coach what quality was most critical to a writer’s success, I would have said perseverance. It was the…

The Writer’s Spice Cabinet

June 5, 2018

The Writer’s Spice Cabinet

June 5, 2018

Some writers object to thinking about plot and structure because it may lead to formulaic writing. They miss a critical distinction. Why does something become a formula in the first…

How to Convey an Established Relationship Quickly

May 8, 2018

How to Convey an Established Relationship Quickly

May 8, 2018

I was recently reading two story openings that were frankly amazing at conveying an established relationship in a matter of pages or even paragraphs. While many stories revolve around the…

Writing By Design: Using Color Theory

May 1, 2018

Writing By Design: Using Color Theory

May 1, 2018

Writing by design means using techniques from the visual arts to inspire and inform your writing. So far in this series you’ve learned how to use the constraints of space to…

How NOT To Mess Up Your Book Series

April 10, 2018

How NOT To Mess Up Your Book Series

April 10, 2018

Writing one book is hard. Writing an entire series of books, with their interconnecting subplots, arcs, and golden threads, weaving first book to last, is even harder. It’s like doing…

Deepening Character Complexity with the Help of Psychology

April 3, 2018

Deepening Character Complexity with the Help of Psychology

April 3, 2018

Psychologists will often conduct a case formulation when a client presents in our office. If we want to be part of the change the client is seeking, then we have…